Summer signings make Arsenal ‘more unpredictable’ – Arteta

Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta believes new signings make his team more unpredictable in the ongoing season. Summer signings Martín Zubimendi and Noni Madueke delivered in Saturday’s 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest.

Arsenal spent more than £260 million ($352m) on eight summer signings and so far the new players have grabbed their opportunities. On Saturday, five out of the eight new signings started for Arteta’s team.

The Gunners have also added players like forward Viktor Gyökeres, and Christian Nørgaard, centre-back Cristhian Mosquera and goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga from Chelsea. Viktor also found the back of the net against Forest, just after the half-time break.

“The new ones that started, the five of them, really impressed with them,” Arteta said.

“You can sense that there are new relationships flourishing there to become more unpredictable.

“Noni [Madueke], I think he was exceptional as well.

“We played a front three we never played before. Good exposure for them, in terms of the timing, it was exactly what they needed because they played a lot of minutes so we are very happy.”

Arteta reflected on the impact Arsenal’s summer spending spree is already having: “If we wouldn’t have done that, and with the injuries we have — some of them very difficult to control — we would be in a very different place.

“We knew that was the standard, that’s the standard of the other teams in the league, in Europe.

“You can see that. I’m very happy it gives us options, it gives is the capacity as well to change games, the capacity to have freshness in the team and now we have to make sure that everybody feels connected and important.”

Arsenal is currently in second place with three wins and one loss in the Premier League. Arteta’s team will next take on Athletic Club in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday at San Mames.